Maharashtra transporters threaten strike on January 31

Maharashtra transporters including bus operators have threatened a day long statewide token strike on January 31, for protesting increase in the fees prescribed in Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) and other pending issues.

Maharashtra Rajya Truck Tempo Tankers Bus Vahatuk Mahasangh, the apex body of transporters across the state, might also support the strike.

Maharashtra Rajya Truck Tempo Tankers Bus Vahatuk Mahasangh, the apex body of transporters across the state, might also support the strike. Besides this, RTO agents, who had gone on a day lone strike last week, will also participate in the strike.

Transporters strike will adversely affect the goods movement in the state. Even passengers might face troubles since private bus operators and auto rickshaw owners are likely to participate in the strike in some parts of the state.

Baba Shinde, one of the leader of transport operators from Pune said that the decision of the strike taken in the meeting of the truck, rickshaw, taxi, tempo, bus and RTO agents meeting on Tuesday. As per the decision, all transporters across the state will go strike against the exponential increase in the fees prescribed in CMVR.

After this meeting, an informal meeting of Vahatuk Mahasangh leaders happened in the Mumbai, in which they also though of supporting the strike. Confirming this, Dayanand Natkar, leader of Vahatuk Mahasangh said that they will soon make formal announcement about participation in the strike after meeting of all leaders of Mahasangh.

Natkar said that the government has forced to take such a step by doing exponential and irrational hike in the fees prescribed in CMVR, on December 29, 2016, which is unjustified. “Though, the government hiked the fees after long time, but there should be some logic,” said Natkar.

According to sources, transporters are also upset with slowdown after demonetization, frequent increase in diesel price, mandatory speed governor for vehicles, delay in renewal of fitness certificate from RTOs, irregularities at border check posts and increased taxes, among several other issues.

It learnt that with this proposed strike they also wanted to highlight the issue of no entry to the heavy vehicles in the cities without providing alternate routes. Even they going to take up the issue of new Golden Hour move of highway police on long weekends, for avoiding traffic snarls on Mumbai-Pune express highway. During Golden Hour, passenger vehicles and cars are given preference over the goods vehicles.